Future Ready: Learning That Impacts
Before learning can happen, connection must be in place.
In this dynamic 45-minute keynote, you'll embark on an accelerated learning journey designed to shift how you think about readiness in a rapidly changing world. Through a series of carefully crafted experiential activities, you'll challenge your assumptions, surface fresh insights, and discover what it truly means to design learning that creates lasting impact for individuals and for the teams they serve.
As L&D professionals, you don't just build programs. You build people. This session is designed with that responsibility in mind.
What You'll Walk Away With:
The future of learning isn't something that happens to your organization. It's something you build together.
Richard Kuepper is the Founder and President of L.E.A.D. U.S.A., L.L.C., a Connecticut-based corporate learning and development company. He has spent 28 years delivering dynamic programs to organizations in North America, Asia, and Europe. Rich's ability to design high-impact, customized programs for organizations has him highly sought as a consultant, speaker, and coach in leadership and team development, optimal performance, growth mindset, and well-being.
Rich produces immediate results through his unique combination of dynamic presentation skills, expertise, contagious energy, and interactive approach. Some of L.E.A.D.'s clients include Citibank, PayPal, M&T Bank, LinkedIn, DHL, eBay, Pfizer, Merck, Bigelow Tea, Boehringer Ingelheim, Gartner, Fidelity Investments, STIHL, Citizens Bank, Yale University, Yale New Haven Hospital, G.E., Agilent Technologies, BIC Corporation, DocuWare, Verisign, Liquidnet, ATT, Regeneron, Seipe, and United Way of Silicon Valley. Before founding L.E.A.D., Rich worked globally as a Master Trainer and Coach for Anthony Robbins in personal learning and development forums and has an extensive engineering and sales background for Phillips, Pitney Bowes, and IBM.
Committed to professional development and volunteer leadership, Rich is an active member of A.T.D. Southern Connecticut Chapter, A.T.D. National, S.H.R.M. Southern CT Chapter, National Speakers Association, Bay Area Executive Development Network, and the Connecticut Experiential Education Association's Challenge Course Professionals.
“Rich is an accomplished, energetic and innovative leadership coach. I was fortunate enough to have attended the L.E.A.D. Breakthrough to High Achievement program and was inspired by its principles and by Rich's positive energy. As a co-chair for a program that focuses on developing high potential women in our organization, I knew that the elements of Rich's training would be the perfect fit to culminate our final session. Rich did not disappoint. He was the first male instructor we had brought into our all women program and he connected quickly with the entire audience. Rich's enthusiasm for his message is infectious. His presentation style is out of the box, creative and positive. I strongly recommend Rich's programs and if you are looking for a unique training experience, hire Rich. He's one of the best out there!”
Citi
Senior Vice President
“Rich does some of the most innovative work in experiential leadership and team development that exists. He is a collaborative partner, and you can count on 100% follow-through. I highly recommend Rich for your organizational and team development work. The results will surpass your expectations.”
PayPal
Director, Learning & Organization Development
“Rich is outstanding! He has a unique ability to get a group energized and focused in a way that has a lasting impact. Every session he has done for me has received rave reviews.”
Gartner
Global Vice President Human Resource, Talent Development
“Rich facilitated a session for M&T's Senior Leadership Development program in November 2021. This was our first attempt at a hybrid session, with a portion of the group participating in person for the first time in over a year and part of the group participating virtually. Rich was the perfect kickoff for our three days together and helped further solidify the bonds between the participants in the leadership program. Rich was well prepared and had spent time with the virtual attendees beforehand to ensure they had a positive experience. His energy and passion engaged the group immediately and the energy was palpable through our entire morning with him. Do not hesitate to book Rich for a fun, inspiring and uplifting leadership activity for your team.”
M&T Bank
Senior Vice President Leadership, Leadership Program Manager
“Agilent has engaged L.E.A.D. U.S.A. for over a decade in our program for high-potential emerging leaders with the cart race and board breaking activities. These programs have helped participants gain insight into team building, teamwork, and breaking through barriers. In addition, Rich Kuepper has always brought tremendous energy and a deep drive to grow leadership capability.”
Agilent Technologies
Leadership Development Training
“Rich is a terrific partner to work with as a business consultant. His active listening skills and depth of knowledge in working with large groups enabled him to create a stellar program for us at G.E. Money. I hired him 2 years in a row to work with a group of 50 new hires we were bringing on board to a key leadership development program. We wanted to focus on team building and community service but in a way that built upon our business values and our business model so they would learn more about operating in a G.E. world. Rich was able to think outside the box on what could have been a standard community service event/team building exercise and truly made it best-in-class. It was an amazing day, a huge learning experience for my new hires and left us all feeling strongly connected as a group.”
G.E. Money
M.B.A. Development Programs
“My staff thought your presentation was great. Even a few of the biggest critics in our office of these types of events said you were right on target. We are a tough group, and you rose to the occasion! My staff really enjoyed it, and it has improved the dynamics of the team and added a fresh prospective to project challenges – and we learned and had fun doing it.”
Yale New Haven Health
Program Manager, Education and Training
“Rich has done a terrific job in designing and delivering training for our employees. He is exceptionally creative and an upbeat facilitator. Our team found Rich to be a fantastic trainer/coach and the experience will stay with them for a long time to come!”
B.I.C.
Director Talent Management
“L.E.A.D. U.S.A. is a first-class act! Rich Kuepper is one of the few consultants who really takes seriously ‘exceeding customer expectations.’ We contracted Rich and his colleagues to deliver the ‘Sailing to Success’ program, but with an exception. We wanted to totally customize the program to compliment the theme and integrate the objectives of our weeklong session. And without hesitation he partnered with us to create a top notch, out of the proverbial box experience. Thanks to his dogged attention to detail, what could have easily backfired turned out to be an unforgettable experience for our group of global managers. I unreservedly recommend L.E.A.D. and Rich Kuepper.”
Praxair
Director of Leadership Development
“We kicked off in January with L.E.A.D.'s Breakthrough Thinking and immediately the team had a shift in perspective. Before the program, there seemed like insurmountable obstacles to meeting our corporate objectives. After the program, those same obstacles were taken on as opportunities to grow the business. The results of Breakthrough Thinking: By year-end, we significantly exceeded our plan.”
R.C. B.I.G.E.L.O.W. Inc.
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Thank you to our 2026 conference sponsors!